Method and system for tissue treatment utilizing irreversible electroporation and thermal track coagulation

Abstract

A system for selectively ablating tissue is provided herein that has at least one energy source that has a non-thermal energy source and a thermal energy source, at least one probe, means for selectively coupling the probe to one desired energy source of the at least one energy source, means for selectively energizing the non-thermal energy source of the at least one energy source to apply non-thermal energy to at least a portion of the desired region to ablate at least a portion of the desired region, and means for selectively energizing the thermal energy source of the at least one energy source during the withdrawal of the at least one probe to thermally ablate tissue substantially adjacent to a probe track.

1 . A method for selectively ablating tissue comprising:
 providing at least one energy source, wherein the at least one energy source comprises at least a non-thermal energy source and a thermal energy source;   providing at least one probe that is configured to be selectively operatively coupled to a desired energy source of the at least one energy source;   positioning, via a probe track, at least a portion of the at least one probe within a desired region of a target tissue;   selectively coupling the at least one probe to the non-thermal energy source;   selectively energizing the non-thermal energy source to apply non-thermal energy from the non-thermal energy source to at least a portion of the desired region to ablate at least a portion of the desired region;   selectively coupling the at least one probe to the thermal energy source;   withdrawing the at least one probe from the desired region; and   selectively energizing the thermal energy source to apply thermal energy during at least a portion of withdrawal of the at least one probe to ablate tissue substantially adjacent to the probe track.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-thermal energy source is selectively energizing for a desired period of time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the desired period of time is a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the desired period of time is a plurality of predetermined periods of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to selectively coupling the at least one probe to the thermal energy source, operatively decoupling the at least one probe from the non-thermal energy source. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps of selectively coupling the at least one probe to the non-thermal energy source and selectively coupling the at least one probe to the thermal energy source is done manually. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  or  6 , wherein selectively coupling the at least one probe to the non-thermal energy source and selectively coupling the at least one probe to the thermal energy source comprises actuating a switch to operatively select between the non-thermal energy source and the thermal energy source. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal energy source is an alternating current thermal energy source. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal energy source is a direct current thermal energy source. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said thermal energy source is selected from a group consisting of: radiofrequency (RE), focused ultrasound, microwaves, lasers, thermal electric heating, and cryosurgery. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the probed is selected from a group consisting of: a monopolar electrode, a bipolar electrode, and an electrode array. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target tissue is selected from a group consisting of: digestive tissue, skeletal tissue, muscular tissue, nervous tissue, endocrine tissue, circulatory tissue, reproductive tissue, integumentary tissue, lymphatic tissue, urinary tissue, and soft tissue. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target tissue is selected from a group consisting of: liver tissue, prostate tissue, kidney tissue, lung tissue, pancreas tissue, uterus tissue, breast tissue, and brain tissue. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the probe is selectively energized with thermal energy to ablate tissue proximate a distal end of the probe track and proximate to a boundary of the tissue ablated by the non-thermal energy source. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one energy source is configured to release at least one pulse of energy for between about 100 microseconds to about 100 seconds. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one energy source is configured to release at least one pulse of energy for between about 100 microseconds to about 1 second. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one energy source is configured to at least one pulse of energy for between about 100 microseconds to about 1000 microseconds. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-thermal energy source and the thermal energy source comprised a selectively configurable generator that can release energy so as to act as both the non-thermal energy source and the thermal energy source. 
     
     
         19 . A method for selectively ablating tissue comprising:
 providing at least one energy source, wherein the at least one energy source comprises at least a non-thermal energy source and a thermal energy source;   providing at least one probe that is configured to be selectively operatively coupled to a desired energy source of the at least one energy source;   positioning, via a probe track, at least a portion of the at least one probe within a desired region of a target tissue;   selectively coupling the at least one probe to the non-thermal energy source;   selectively energizing the non-thermal energy source to apply non-thermal energy from the non-thermal energy source to at least a portion of the desired region to ablate at least a portion of the desired region;   changing at least one parameter on the non-thermal energy source;   withdrawing the at least one probe from the desired region; and   selectively energizing the thermal energy source to apply thermal energy during at least a portion of withdrawal of the at least one probe to ablate tissue substantially adjacent to the probe track.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the at least one parameter is selected from a group consisting of: voltage, current, pulse number, pulse duration, and a dwell between two pulses. 
     
     
         21 . A system for selectively ablating tissue comprising:
 at least one energy source, wherein the at least one energy source comprises a non-thermal energy source and a thermal energy source;   at least one probe;   means for selectively coupling the probe to one desired energy source of the at least one energy source;   means for selectively energizing the non-thermal energy source of the at least one energy source to apply non-thermal energy to at least a portion of the desired region to ablate at least a portion of the desired region; and   means for selectively energizing the thermal energy source of the at least one energy source during the withdrawal of the at least one probe to thermally ablate tissue substantially adjacent to a probe track.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the means for selectively coupling the probe to one desired energy source comprises means for selectively switching between the non-thermal energy source and the thermal energy source. 
     
     
         23 . A system for selectively ablating tissue comprising:
 at least one energy source, wherein the at least one energy source comprises a non-thermal energy source and a thermal energy source;   at least one probe, wherein at least a portion of the probe is configured for insertion therein a patient;   means for selectively coupling the probe to one desired energy source of the at least one energy source; and   means for selectively energizing the one desired energy source to ablate at least a portion of the tissue adjacent to the at least one probe.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the means for selectively energizing the one desired energy source comprises:
 means for selectively energizing the non-thermal energy source of the at least one energy source to apply non-thermal energy to at least a portion of a desired region to ablate at least a portion of the desired region; and   means for selectively energizing the thermal energy source of the at least one energy source during the withdrawal of the at least one probe to thermally ablate tissue substantially adjacent to a probe track.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the means for selectively coupling the probe to one desired energy source comprises means for selectively switching between the non-thermal energy source and the thermal energy source. 
     
     
         26 . A method for selectively ablating tissue comprising:
 providing at least one energy source, wherein the at least one energy source comprises at least a non-thermal energy source and a thermal energy source and at least one means for selectively adjusting at least one parameter;   providing at least one probe that is configured to be selectively operatively coupled to the at least one energy source;   positioning, via a probe track, at least a portion of the at least one probe within a desired region of a target tissue;   selectively coupling the at least one probe to the at least one energy source;   selectively adjusting the at least one parameter to deliver non-thermal energy to the target tissue; selectively energizing the at least one energy source to apply non-thermal energy from the at least one energy source to at least a portion of the desired region to ablate at least a portion of the desired region;   selectively adjusting the at least one parameter to deliver thermal energy to the target tissue;   withdrawing the at least one probe from the desired region; and   selectively energizing the at least one energy source to apply thermal energy during at least a portion of withdrawal of the at least one probe to ablate tissue substantially adjacent to the probe track.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one parameter is selected from group comprising: voltage, pulse duration, and pulse number.